From cutting to Green Screen, two years of care and craftsmanship

Day 1

The beginning: by hand, one at a time

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Every Green Screen doesn’t start life as a plant, but as a cutting. Our people place each cutting into its own pot by hand, precision work a machine simply can’t do with the same care. It’s the first of thousands of actions that will shape the next two years.

And behind every one of those actions are people. Much of this work takes place in our social enterprise workshop, where 250 colleagues work with care and attention on our hedges. So it’s not just something beautiful that grows in the pot, something valuable grows through the people working on it, too.

Growing Season 1

A full growing season to become a runner

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Beneath the soil, the first roots search for a foothold, while the cutting slowly develops into a runner. This first growing season can’t be rushed: only once a runner is around 60cm long is it ready for the next step.

And we grow it as sustainably as possible. With care for people, plants and the environment, we cultivate our plants responsibly, so that not only the end product is green, but the journey to get there as well.

After Season 1

Planted into the frame, rooted in coir

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Once the runners are long enough, we plant them into the frame that will later determine the shape of the hedge, rooted in Kokosplano, a biodegradable coir fibre tray.

Around 65 runners eventually grow together to form one dense screen. From this point on, the Green Screen really starts to take shape. The runners continue growing through the frame, moving closer together.

The coir fibre provides a natural base for the roots and can later go straight into the ground with the plant. This disturbs the roots as little as possible, allowing the Green Screen to keep growing once it’s in its new position.

Year 1-2

Growing at the pace of the seasons

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In our greenhouse, the Green Screens are given time to keep growing, without heating and without additional lighting. They grow with the natural light and temperature of the season. A deliberate choice, so we never artificially speed up the growing process.

Meanwhile, the Green Screens are carefully tended and guided by our colleagues in the social enterprise workshop. They make sure the runners develop well through the frame and grow ever closer together. This way, each Green Screen gradually takes on its final form naturally, with the help of many hands.

Every few weeks

Training, pruning and careful care

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As the runners continue to grow, our colleagues retrain them through the frame every few weeks. Each Green Screen is also pruned 6 to 10 times during the growing process, so the runners spread out evenly and grow together into a strong, full screen.

With every pruning session, the Green Screen takes on more of its final shape. Wherever possible, we choose natural methods of care. We work according to the guidelines of On the Way to PlanetProof, with attention to people, animals and the environment.

After 2 years

Ready to deliver, all year round

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After almost two years of growing, training, pruning and care, the Green Screen is ready. The many runners have grown together into one strong, dense whole, with a well-developed root system.

This means the Green Screen can be planted all year round, providing a mature, green screen from the very first moment. Two years of care and craftsmanship, ready to keep growing in its new home.